Circle (2017) 써클 : 이어진 두 세계
Literal title: Circle: Two Worlds Connected
Directed by Min Jin-ki, starring Yeo Jin-goo, Gong Seung-yeon, Kim Kang-woo, Lee Gi-kwang, Jung In-sun and Seo Hyun-chul.
Watched 13 - 24 April 2025 — 12 episodes (KISSKH/BILIBILI)
The series features two parallel plots set in the years 2017 and 2037, both centered on twin brothers' struggle with the discovery and development of an advanced alien technology that could either be a boon or bane for the entire human race. (Synopsis: Wikipedia)
*This sci-fi series starts with a bang, with the two twin brothers Kim Woo-jin and Kim Bum-gyun as kids in the forest, and then suddenly the appearance of the alien girl Byul. It's an eerie beginning but we are immediately intrigued.
*All episodes are divided in two parts, two different worlds. Part 1 is the Beta Project, the world of 2017. Part 2 is the Brave New World, the dystopian world of 2037. As the series progresses, the two worlds come closer together. Fortunately both worlds/ timelines are almost equally compelling, with interesting and likeable characters. Still, I preferred the 2017 timeline, because I love Yeo Jin-goo (as Kim Woo-jin) and Gong Seung-yeon (as Han Jung-yeon aka Byul) together. (I know him from The Crowned Clown and Beyond Evil and her from The First Responders.) Their relationship is not a romance but it's evident they care a lot about each other and have a strong connection. I was happy to see them reunited in 2037 (where Han Jung-yeon also has another identity, i.e. Bluebird). I also love the reunion between the brothers in the 2037 timeline!
*Memories is a theme that has always appealed to the imagination of writers, and I'm also fascinated by it. Here is an utopian world presented without pain. The concept of tempering with/blocking unhappy memories (in order to be happy and live in a crime-free world) is captivating. But is this really desirable? Is it not better for people nót to forget their bad memories? It means one can be held accountable for one's actions. Not remembering one's bad deed doesn't mean it didn't happen.
*Human B, Stable Care System, blue bug, care chip, memory footage, super computer, Smart Earth, Ordinary Earth ... at times things went a little over my head and it became a bit convoluted in the last episodes. I did find it interesting, though, how it was possible to see memory footage as videos through the care chip inserted in the neck. Sci-fi stuff aside, nothing could diminish my emotional involvement with the characters and I really wished them well.
*Byul's dad, the professor, is one of the 'villains', but you understand where he's coming from. He's a scientist who envisions a world without pain. If science could enable that, why not take advantage of the technology? Yet the potential to do good comes with a downside: greed. And because of greed, things get ugly and out of hand.
*Love the bromance between Kim Kang-woo as Kim Joon-hyuk and Lee Gi-kwang as Lee Ho-soo in the 2037 timeline and the humour in their interactions. I also like how Lee Ho-soo undergoes a transformation, from being a robot-like person to someone feeling and showing genuine emotions.
*I love Seo Hyun-chul as Detective Hong Jin-hong, who is trustworthy in both timelines.
*The message here is: we are defined by our memories. Identity comes from memory.
*MAJOR SPOILER: The reveal that Kim Woo-jin is alive (he's needed for the super computer to work) wasn't that big a surprise but him being a clone (Circulate 3) and having died in the car accident wás. Being Circulate 3 (same body) and having the same memories as Kim Woo-jin makes him Kim Woo-jin and I really like the emphasis on how memories shape us who we are.
*"Please accept the memories that come to you. If you have forgotten something you ought not have forgotten, remember it. And if you have forgotten a wrong you committed, take responsibility for it. And if you have forgotten sadness … if you have forgotten sadness …. I wish for you to feel sadness. Because that is what it means to be human. Finally, no matter what, please remember what happened to us in the year 2037. As of today, Human B does not exist." (Lee Gi-kwang as Lee Ho-soo in the final episode)
*ON A SIDE NOTE: So annoying that even while paying for 4 streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Kocowa, and VIKI — last one my sister's paying), one's still not able to watch everything, and with Dramacool shut down and the DC clones acting weird, I took my refuge to KISSKH, a bootleg website. Everything went fine until ep. 10 when I suddenly got pop-ups and could only watch a couple of minutes before the next pop-up appeared. Obviously I wanted to finish the series, being so close to the end, so I googled and a site called Bilibili came up and fortunately I could finish the series (albeit in lesser quality, but still good). Apparently Bilibili is a legit video-sharing site, and it's the YouTube of China. So I might use it again.